India improves breastfeeding policy score in global assessment, but key gaps remain

By A Representative

India has shown significant progress in its national policy and programme environment supporting breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding (IYCF), according to the 6th World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) assessment report released by the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI).

The report, Spotlight on Breastfeeding & Infant and Young Child Feeding in India, marks India’s WBTi score rising from 45 in 2018 to 62 in 2025 out of a possible 100. Correspondingly, India’s global rank has improved sharply, moving up from 79th to 41st place. In WBTi’s colour-coded system, India has moved from the ‘Yellow’ to ‘Blue’ category—indicating steady policy and programme progress.

The report attributes these gains to stronger legal frameworks such as the IMS Act and Maternity Benefits Act, implementation of the MAA programme to promote breastfeeding in hospitals, better community outreach, and improved preparedness for breastfeeding support during emergencies and in HIV contexts.

Despite this improvement, the report warns of persistent gaps in service delivery, enforcement, and inclusivity. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), only 41% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, 63% of infants are exclusively breastfed, 45% receive timely complementary feeding, and just 11% meet the minimum acceptable diet.

Particularly concerning is the performance of the MAA programme, which remains in the ‘Red’ category under Indicator 2. The report calls for urgent improvements in district-level financial support, staff training in hospitals, technical assistance to states, and monitoring systems.

The report stresses the need to bring private healthcare providers into the fold, as they account for a significant share of childbirth services. Experts argue that improved coordination and funding, along with rigorous enforcement of the IMS Act, are essential to counter ongoing commercial marketing of baby foods.

“India’s progress is commendable and encouraging,” said Dr. Arun Gupta, lead author of the report and founder of BPNI. “To reach the top 10 in global rankings, India must strengthen coordination, increase funding, and ensure stricter enforcement of protections against commercial influence.”

The report also recommends reviving the National Steering Committee on Breastfeeding and IYCF and developing a four-year national action plan with dedicated funding. Dr. Nupur Bidla, the new Central Coordinator of BPNI, noted that comprehensive action—including emergency preparedness—should be included in such a plan.

Community pediatrician Dr. Vandana Prasad from the Public Health Resource Society emphasized the need for institutionalised capacity building and called for amending the Maternity Benefit Act 2017 to extend protections to women in the informal sector.

Developed using globally recognised WBTi tools, the report incorporates inputs from experts across leading public health institutions including Doctors For You, PHRS, NIHFW, PAN Society, UNICEF India, and others.

The report has been released as India marks World Breastfeeding Week 2025, themed “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”

Comments

How natural and organic farming can be a key to combating the climate crisis

By Raj Kumar Sinha* On July 9, while addressing the “Sahkar Samvad” in Ahmedabad with women and workers associated with cooperatives from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that natural farming is essential for both our health and the health of the soil. This is a significant statement in the context of addressing the climate change crisis. Natural farming can play a crucial role in combating climate change. Also known as organic farming, it is a system of agriculture that can increase food production without harming the environment. Natural farming has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 35% to 50%.

Another 'honor' killing in Tamil Nadu: Caste pride has murdered love, again

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Once again, Tamil Nadu has witnessed a brutal so-called 'honor' killing. This time, it is Kevin Selvaganesh, a 27-year-old software engineer from the Scheduled Caste community, who has been hacked to death by the family of the girl he loved since childhood. Kevin, a brilliant student employed at Tata Consultancy Services, was in a relationship with Subashini, his schoolmate and girlfriend. The couple, both well-educated and professionally qualified, had plans to marry. Yet, that love story ended in bloodshed — sacrificed at the altar of caste pride.

The myth of population decline: India’s real challenge is density, not fertility

By N.S. Venkataraman* India’s population in 2025 stands at approximately 1.4 billion. In 1950, it was 359 million, rising sharply to 1.05 billion by 2000. The population continues to grow and is projected to reach around 1.7 billion by 2050.

100 yrs of RSS as seen by global media house: Power, controversy, push for Hindu-first India

By Rajiv Shah On a blistering summer evening in Nagpur, nearly a thousand men in brown trousers, white shirts, and black caps stood in formation as a saffron flag was raised, marking a graduation ceremony for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers. This vivid scene, described in a recent FT Weekend Magazine article, “A hundred years after it was founded, India's Hindu-nationalist movement is getting closer to its goal of a Hindu-first state,” captures the enduring presence of the RSS, a century-old Hindu-nationalist organization.

Why is India’s cheetah project under fire? Study flags ecological, social, species injustices

By Rajiv Shah A recent peer-reviewed study has sharply criticized Project Cheetah—India’s high-profile initiative to reintroduce African cheetahs into the wild—as ethically compromised, scientifically flawed, and socially unjust. Titled “Delineating the Environmental Justice Implications of an Experimental Cheetah Introduction Project in India”, the paper is authored by Yashendu C. Joshi, Stephanie E. Klarmann, and Louise C. de Waal, and was published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

Siang dam project sparks debate over security, development, and displacement in Arunachal

By Aarna Gupta* The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, India, has emerged as a contentious initiative shaped by strategic, environmental, and social concerns. Indian officials, including Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, have voiced strong support for the project. One of the primary motivations is China’s plan to build a 60,000 MW hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (the upper stretch of the Brahmaputra) in Tibet, which Indian authorities see as a threat to water and national security. In response, the 11,000 MW Siang Dam, with its 9 billion cubic meter reservoir, is viewed as a necessary countermeasure to manage water flow and reduce vulnerability.

Shanghai Textbook reassessed: Between revolutionary rhetoric and economic reality

By Harsh Thakor "Maoist Economics and the Revolutionary Road to Communism: The Shanghai Textbook on Socialist Political Economy" (1975) presents a detailed exposition of the Chinese perspective on socialist political economy under Mao . Developed during the Cultural Revolution, it outlines a theoretical framework for the functioning of a socialist alternative to capitalism. The book was formulated under the direction of Zhang Chunqiao, who played a central role in discussions, content planning, and final reviews of the draft.

Gujarat's 12-hour workday: A betrayal of labor's century-long struggle

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah* A recent ordinance by the Gujarat government, issued on July 1st, has amended the Factories Act of 1948, increasing the daily working hours for industrial laborers to 12 hours. This swift action, taken without even waiting for the Legislative Assembly to convene, suggests an urgent need perceived by the government. However, this move directly contravenes a global standard established through centuries of struggle by workers worldwide.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Search This Blog